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A dispute involving a dog on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail in Vienna escalated when a 26-year-old man allegedly followed the animal’s owner and brandished a firearm.
Vienna police responded to the trail on Dec. 21 after the man, a Falls Church resident, was told to stop whistling at the dog. Police said he became aggressive and began following the dog and its owner.
After crossing Electric Avenue, the owner turned and asked the man to stop following him. The man then allegedly displayed a gun, threatened the owner and walked back toward the trail.
Officers located him a short time later. He was charged with brandishing a firearm and assault and was held without bond at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.
The incident was included in Vienna police’s crime report covering Dec. 19 through Dec. 30, 2025.
Evicted tenant charged with animal cruelty
Vienna police also responded to the 100 block of Patrick Street SE on Dec. 18 and 19 after a recently evicted tenant allegedly returned to Vienna Park apartments and broke into her former unit through a window.
Officers found the 34-year-old woman asleep inside. They also discovered numerous animals, including a dog, chicken, cats, fish, birds and mice.
The animals were taken to the Fairfax County Animal Shelter. The woman, who had been evicted only hours earlier, was charged with 28 counts of animal cruelty, along with unlawful entry and destruction of property.
Police locate driver sought after hit-and-run
On Dec. 20, Vienna police helped the Prince William County Police Department locate the owner of a vehicle involved in a hit-and-run crash.
Officers went to the 200 block of Park Terrace Court SE, where the 35-year-old driver lived. He was arrested and taken to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center, where authorities served three outstanding Prince William County warrants.
The warrants—charging unlawful wounding, malicious wounding while part of a mob and grand larceny—stemmed from a November 2024 fight involving people who knew one another.
The man had not been criminally charged in connection with the hit-and-run, and authorities did not release further information about that crash or say whether anyone was injured.